| Jurisdiction: | Diocese |
| Bristol | |
| Latin: | Dioecesis Bristoliensis |
| Coat: | Diocese of Bristol arms.svg |
| Coat Size: | 150px |
| Flag: | Flag of the Diocese of Bristol.svg |
| Flag Size: | 150px |
| Province: | Canterbury |
| Parishes: | 167 |
| Churches: | 207 |
| Bishop: | Viv Faull, Bishop of Bristol |
| Suffragan: | Neil Warwick, Bishop of Swindon |
| Archdeacons: | Christopher Bryan, Archdeacon of Malmesbury Becky Waring, Archdeacon-designate of Bristol |
| Denomination: | Church of England |
| Established: | 1897 |
| Language: | English |
| Cathedral: | Bristol Cathedral |
| Archdeaconries: | Bristol, Malmesbury |
The Diocese of Bristol is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Church of England in the Province of Canterbury, England. It is based in the city of Bristol and covers South Gloucestershire and parts of north Wiltshire, as far east as Swindon. The diocese is headed by the Bishop of Bristol and the Episcopal seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, commonly known as Bristol Cathedral.
Until the Reformation, Bristol was part of the medieval Diocese of Worcester.[1] Under the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534, Henry Holbeach was appointed the only suffragan bishop of Bristol in 1538 and assisted the Bishop of Worcester in overseeing the medieval diocese. Nearly two years later, Bristol became part of the newly formed Diocese of Gloucester in 1541.[1] The following year, the Diocese of Bristol was established on 4 June 1542 and consisted of the city of Bristol together with the county of Dorset.[1]
The Diocese of Bristol continued until 5 October 1836 when Dorset was annexed to the Diocese of Salisbury and the remainder, the city of Bristol, formed part of the Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol.[1] After sixty years, the Diocese of Bristol was "reconstituted" on 9 July 1897, but with different boundaries.
Viv Faull has been the diocesan Bishop of Bristol since the confirmation of her election on 25 June 2018;[2] the bishop is assisted by a Bishop suffragan of Swindon (Neil Warwick). The provincial episcopal visitor (for parishes in the diocese who reject the ministry of priests who are women) is the Bishop suffragan of Ebbsfleet, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there.
There are two retired bishops licensed as honorary assistant bishops in the diocese:
The diocese is divided into two archdeaconries, each of which is further divided into deaneries (groups of parishes).[3]
| Diocese | Archdeaconries | Rural Deaneries |
|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Bristol | Archdeaconry of Bristol | Deanery of Bristol South |
| Deanery of Bristol West | ||
| City Deanery | ||
| Archdeaconry of Malmesbury | Deanery of Chippenham | |
| Deanery of Kingswood and South Gloucestershire | ||
| Deanery of North Wiltshire | ||
| Deanery of Swindon |
Source:[4]
Bristol Cathedral falls outside the following deanery structure.
Deanery of Bristol South: Ashton Gate (St Francis), Bedminster (St Aldhelm), Bedminster Down (St Oswald), Bishopsworth (St Peter), Brislington (St Anne), Brislington (St Christopher), Brislington (St Cuthbert), Brislington (St Luke), Hartcliffe (St Andrew), Hengrove (Christ Church), Knowle (Holy Nativity), Knowle (St Martin), Knowle West (St Barnabas), Redcliffe (St Mary the Virgin), Southville (St Paul's), Stockwood (Christ the Servant), Whitchurch (St Augustine), Whitchurch (St Nicholas), Windmill Hill (St Michael & All Angels), Withywood Church
Deanery of Bristol West: Abbots Leigh (Holy Trinity), Almondsbury (St Mary the Virgin), Alveston (St Helen), Aust (St John), Avonmouth (St Andrew), Clifton (All Saints), Clifton (Christ Church), Compton Greenfield (All Saints), Elberton (St John), Henbury (St Mary the Virgin), Henleaze (St Peter), Lawrence Weston (St Peter), Leigh Woods (St Mary the Virgin), Littleton-on-Severn (St Mary of Malmesbury), Olveston (St Mary the Virgin), Pilning (St Peter), Sea Mills (St Edyth), Shirehampton (St Mary), Southmead (St Stephen), Stoke Bishop (St Mary Magdalene), Westbury-on-Trym (Holy Trinity), Westbury Park (St Alban)
City Deanery: Barton Hill (St Luke), Bishopston (Good Shepherd), Bishopston St Michael & All Angels, Bristol St Aidan, Bristol St Bartholomew with St Andrew, Bristol Christ Church, Bristol St Matthew, Bristol St Nicholas, Bristol SS Philip & Jacob, Bristol St Stephen, Clifton St Paul, Cotham (St Saviour with St Mary), Easton All Hallows, Easton Holy Trinity, Eastville (St Anne), Fishponds All Saints, Fishponds St John, Fishponds St Mary, Horfield Holy Trinity, Horfield St Gregory the Great, Hotwells (Holy Trinity), Lockleaze (St Mary Magdalene), Redland Parish Church, St Paul's (St Agnes), Two Mile Hill (St Michael the Archangel), Whitehall (St Ambrose)
Deanery of Chippenham: Biddestone (St Nicholas), Bowden Hill (St Anne), Box (St Thomas a Becket), Castle Combe (St Andrew), Chapel Plaister (Pilgrims' Chapel), Chippenham St Andrew, Chippenham St Paul, Chippenham St Peter, Cold Ashton (Holy Trinity), Colerne (St John the Baptist), Corsham (St Bartholomew), Ditteridge (St Christopher), Gastard (St John the Baptist), Grittleton (St Mary the Virgin), Hardenhuish (St Nicholas), Kington St Michael (St Michael), Lacock (St Cyriac), Langley Burrell (St Peter), Littleton Drew (All Saints), Marshfield (St Mary the Virgin), Neston (SS Phillip & James), Nettleton (St Mary the Virgin), North Wraxall (St James), Slaughterford (St Nicholas), Tormarton (St Mary Magdalene), Tytherton Lucas (St Nicholas), West Kington (St Mary the Virgin), West Littleton (St James), Yatton Keynell (St Margaret)
Deanery of Kingswood and South Gloucestershire: Abson (St James the Great), Bitton (St Mary), Bradley Stoke Christ the King, Bradley Stoke Holy Trinity, Coalpit Heath (St Saviour), Downend (Christ Church), Doynton (Holy Trinity), Dyrham (St Peter), Filton (St Peter), Frampton Cotterell (St Peter), Frenchay (St John the Baptist), Hanham (Christ Church), Hanham Abbots (St George), Iron Acton (St James the Less), Kingswood All Souls, Kingswood Ascension, Kingswood Holy Trinity, Longwell Green (All Saints), Mangotsfield (St James), Oldland (St Anne), Patchway (St Chad), Pucklechurch (St Thomas a Becket), Soundwell (St Stephen), Stapleton (Holy Trinity), Stoke Gifford (St Michael), Syston (St Anne), Wapley (St Peter), Warmley (St Barnabas), Westerleigh (St James the Great), Wick (St Bartholomew), Winterbourne (St Michael the Archangel), Winterbourne Down (All Saints), Yate St Mary, Yate St Nicholas
Deanery of North Wiltshire: Alderton (St Giles), Ashley (St James), Ashton Keynes (Holy Cross), Brokenborough (St John the Baptist), Brinkworth (St Michael & All Angels), Charlton (St John the Baptist), Christian Malford (All Saints), Corston (All Saints), Cricklade (St Sampson), Crudwell (All Saints), Dauntsey (St James the Great), Easton Grey Parish Church, Foxley Parish Church, Garsdon (All Saints), Great Somerford (SS Peter & Paul), Hankerton (Holy Cross), Hullavington (St Mary Magdalene), Kington Langley (St Peter), Latton (St John the Baptist), Lea (St Giles), Leigh (All Saints), Little Somerford (St John the Baptist), Luckington (SS Mary & Ethelbert), Malmesbury (SS Peter & Paul), Minety (St Leonard), Norton (All Saints), Oaksey (All Saints), Rodbourne (Holy Rood), Seagry (St Mary the Virgin), Sherston Magna (Holy Cross), Stanton St Quintin (St Giles), Sutton Benger (All Saints), Tytherton Kellaways (St Giles)
Deanery of Swindon: Bishopstone (St Mary the Virgin), Blunsdon (St Andrew), Broad Blunsdon (St Leonard), Hannington (St John the Baptist), Haydon Wick (St John), Highworth (St Michael), Hinton Parva (St Swithun), Lyddington (All Saints), Lydiard Millicent (All Saints), Lydiard Tregoze (St Mary), Purton (St Mary), Rodbourne Cheney (St Mary), Sevenhampton (St James), Shaw (Holy Trinity), South Marston (St Mary Magdalene), Stanton Fitzwarren (St Leonard), Stratton (St Margaret), Swindon All Saints, Swindon St Aldhelm, Swindon St Andrew, Swindon St Augustine of Canterbury, Swindon St Barnabas, Swindon Christ Church, Swindon St John the Baptist, Swindon St Luke, Swindon St Mark, Swindon St Mary, Swindon St Paul, Swindon St Peter, Swindon St Saviour, Swindon St Timothy, Toothill Church, Upper Stratton (St Philip the Deacon), Wanborough (St Andrew), Westlea Church, Wroughton (SS John the Baptist & Helen)